1,000HP Small Block Build - Grand Scheme

Yes, we're chasing the dyno now, and we realize that hitting the 1,000hp target will take more than a rebuilt engine with better-breathing heads and a few more cubes. So in addition to the engine upgrade, we're also making changes on the supercharger side of the power system.

T-top coupe's 20 psi of boost has come by way of a non-intercooled Paxton Novi 2000 supercharger/10-rib, 3-inch pulley-and-belt combination. The lack of an intercooler basically has been the pistons' Achilles' heel, as inlet-air temperatures of 280-plus degrees have had their way with the SRPs, despite safe (rich) tuning and even a blast of water/methanol spray.

All roads to cooling the high IATs have brought us to finally accepting the fact that an intercooler must be added to our forced-induction program. Going with a 'cooler is something we've been hesitant about doing. This was largely because installing a unit that will support the type of boost and horsepower the engine generates will require modifying (i.e. cutting) some portion of our rare 'Stang.

After much deliberation, Vortech's Mondo water-to-air intercooler has been selected for the job. Your tech editor and Rocco both agree that the Igloo (PN 8M201-007)-as the Mondo Cooler is called in blown Fox-body circles-is the perfect unit for our effort. Clearancing the 'Stang's cowl hood (for the intercooler's case, lid, and discharge tubing) is a lesser infraction than boring a 4-inch hole in the firewall and cowl box, doing away with passenger seating for 'cooler placement, or hacking up the '86 snout-style fascia to allow better airflow to an air-to-air intercooler.

So as you can imagine, a good amount of thought has been put into our newest quest for big steam. The tried-and-true Novi 2000 that we've been flogging since the 'Stang was built, will be called on once again for our initial attempt at making a 1,000 horses. The blower now sports a cog-belt drive (blower/crank cogs are roughly the same ratio as serp pulleys) instead of the 10-rib serpentine, and we're confident that without a slipping belt we should see 2-to-3 pounds more than the 20 psi that was the blower's previous max.

If that's not enough for you, the real treat will come after our dyno testing with the original supercharger, when we unbolt the Novi 2K and bolt Paxton's all-new head unit on the potent small-block Ford.

Details on the new Novi 2500, which sources tell us may be Paxton's answer to sister-company Vortech's YSi-trim, will come when we reach the test stage. For now, study the accompanying photos to see what comprises T-top coupe's new boost-ready bullet.

A.R.E.'s Rocco stresses that the right combination of parts is key. Even though we're deviating a bit from our original setup (which well may have made 1,000 horses had the air charge been intercooled), we're confident that the new engine package and cogged/'cooled blower setup will work even more efficiently than its predecessor, which was an animal in its own right.

Tough Gig

With a goal of 1,000 rwhp, we realize it will be onerous to reach the plateau without addressing the T-top coupe's supercharger situation. While we're sure the Paxton Novi 2000 that has helped get it to 866 hp is plenty capable of producing the required amount of boost for a thousand ponies, we've come to accept the fact that it cannot happen without cooling the air charge.

To fix this, we're adding Vortech's Mondo water-to-air intercooler to our project car. The Igloo allows air to pass across ice-water-cooled cores, which dissapate heat and dramatically reduce air temperature/increase air density (our non-intercooled inlet temps were as high as 280 degrees) before it reaches intake ports in the heads.